Bare metal device management

ABSTRACT

Examples described herein include systems and methods for bare metal management of computing devices. Firmware of the computing device can be configured to contact a network location as part of an HTTP boot and download a boot agent. The boot agent can be prioritized to execute before a primary OS boot loader. The boot agent can download an OS configuration including a package that is inserted into the primary OS. The primary OS, as configured, can then boot. The boot agent can also attest to OS health and device compliance on subsequent boots. For example, the boot agent can cause the firmware to track how many boots have occurred since compliance verification. If a threshold number of boots occur without verification, the boot agent can initiate restoration. Alternatively, if a decommission flag is set, the boot agent can cause the computing device to boot into its original configuration.

This application claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 17/095,176, titled “Bare Metal Device Management,”filed Nov. 11, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/046,325, titled “Bare Metal Device Management,” filed Jul.26, 2018, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in theirentireties.

BACKGROUND

However, management typically begins after the computing device hasbooted. Enrollment traditionally cannot occur until the device isalready in use. Preliminary provisioning is difficult because itrequires an administrator to enroll each device for management prior tothe user having access to the device. Normally, a user must elect toenroll with the EMM. Even after doing so, users could still potentiallyboot the computing device into an OS with a noncompliant configurationthat either does not implement the management agent or could attempt tomodify code used by the management agent to enforce compliance prior toboot.

Administrators also struggle to track ownership or configurations ofmany types of non-APPLE computing devices. Each computing device caninclude a different combination of hardware and software from multiplevendors. There is no central entity or repository that tracks ownershipand configuration information, unlike in the APPLE ecosystem. As aresult, administrators do not know how to boot computing devices into amanaged configuration.

Additionally, outside of the APPLE ecosystem, there is no easy way foran original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) device supplier to load aconfigured OS onto computing devices at the time they ship from the OEM.Therefore, the cumbersome task of individual computing deviceconfiguration falls to the enterprise. Multiplied by the number ofemployees in a workforce, the initial setup can be a major drain oncompany resources. These setup steps are repeated when a computingdevice malfunctions or is assigned to a new employee, or when anemployee upgrades to a new device. This can be a major source of costsand delays within the enterprise.

Trusted boot processes are also fragmented across different providers ofpersonal computer (“PC”) devices. Secure boot is one such processsupported by WINDOWS, using hash encryption to ensure a secure versionof WINDOWS with a BIOS version is loaded on the computing device. Eachprovider can attempt to specify the BIOS and software versions. In thePC ecosystem, there is no single trusted source to cause computingdevices to boot with the right OS and software configurations fordifferent enterprises or groups.

In the fragmented PC ecosystem, recovering device configurations is alsovery difficult. Without the ownership or configuration details, it isgenerally not possible to provide a clean version of the OS, installedsoftware, and drivers. Therefore, Internet recovery has been lacking forPC devices up to this point.

Consequently, a need exists for a system for provisionally enrollingcomputing devices for EMM operation on first boot. A need also existsfor the computing devices to retrieve correct OS and applicationconfigurations, to attest that the correct configuration exists onsubsequent boots, and to offer pre-OS recovery options.

SUMMARY

Examples described herein include systems and methods for bare metaldevice management. “Bare metal” refers to pre-OS operations that do notrequire an OS for support. In one example, a computing device includesfirmware that is configured to contact a network address prior tobooting a primary OS. The network address can be specified in a UnifiedExtensible Firmware Interface (“UEFI”) or BIOS of the firmware. Amanagement server associated with the network address can then supply aboot agent to the computing device. For example, this can be done aspart of a hypertext transfer protocol (“HTTP”) boot capability of UEFI.The boot agent can allow for a managed boot of an OS configuration thatensures the device has certain management capabilities upon startup.

The boot agent can be downloaded and added to a system partition of thecomputing device during the HTTP boot. The boot order can also bemodified by the boot agent such that the boot agent executes before aprimary OS boot manager during boot of the computing device. In oneexample, the boot agent disables other boot paths, such as UEFI paths,to ensure control over the boot process. The boot agent can beprioritized first in the boot order. The boot agent can include a systempassword for use in retrieving an OS configuration from the managementserver. The boot agent can then apply this OS configuration to theprimary OS.

The original HTTP boot to the network location can be placed second inthe boot order. If the boot agent fails to boot the computing device,the HTTP boot can retrieve a new boot agent from the network locationand restart the boot process.

The boot agent can also cause the computing device to apply an OSconfiguration to the primary OS. The OS configuration can be specifiedby the management server and retrieved by or with the boot agent. Toapply the OS configuration, the boot agent can execute a pre-OSenvironment downloaded from the management server. For purposes of thisdisclosure, the pre-OS environment can be considered part of the bootagent. The boot agent can retrieve one or more packages of drivers orsoftware for insertion into the primary OS. A package can also includecode for a management agent that executes after the primary OS boots.After the primary OS is configured, the computing device can boot theprimary OS.

The management agent can ensure that the computing device is compliantwith an EMM system after the computing device loads the primary OS. Themanagement agent can report device information, such as hardwareidentifiers and application usage, to the management server of the EMMsystem. The management agent can also download a profile containingcompliance rules. The management agent can ensure that the device iscompliant with those rules. The management agent can set flags (i.e.,variables) in the firmware to indicate that a compliance check failed,that the device is noncompliant, that the device has received a hardwareor OS update, or that the device should be decommissioned.

On subsequent boot, the boot agent can check the flags in firmware setby the management agent and take various actions in response. In oneexample, the boot agent can perform OS attestation, confirming theprimary OS has a configuration currently specified by a managementserver. In one example, this can be done if a flag indicates thecomputing device has been updated. In another example, OS attestation isperformed by the boot agent on every subsequent boot.

In another example, the boot agent performs a health check bydetermining if the management agent has been successfully verifyingcompliance. To do this, the boot agent can check whether the last boottime is more recent than a last compliance check and, if so, canincrement a counter. When the counter exceeds a threshold, the bootagent can download a new instance of itself and can boot from the newinstance of the boot agent. The boot agent can download and apply the OSconfiguration, giving the computing device a fresh start.

The boot agent can also determine that a decommission flag was set bythe management agent. Upon detecting the flag during the subsequentboot, the boot agent can load a pre-OS boot environment without the bootagent for performing a default boot sequence.

The examples summarized above can each be incorporated into anon-transitory, computer-readable medium having instructions that, whenexecuted by a processor associated with a computing device, cause theprocessor to perform stages for managing firmware on a group of userdevices enrolled in an EMM system. It can also be implemented in asystem or as a method executed by one or more processors.

Both the foregoing general description and the following detaileddescription are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictiveof the examples, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for bare metal devicemanagement.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for bare metal devicemanagement.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary sequence diagram for bare metal devicemanagement.

FIG. 4A is an exemplary illustration of system components for a managedboot operation.

FIG. 4B is an exemplary illustration of system components for a managedboot operation.

FIG. 4C is an exemplary illustration of system components for a managedboot operation.

FIG. 5A is an exemplary illustration of system components for devicehealth, compliance, and boot recovery.

FIG. 5B is a flowchart of an exemplary method for device health,compliance, and boot recovery.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary illustration of system components for bare metaldevice management.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLES

Reference will now be made in detail to the present examples, includingexamples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible,the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to referto the same or like parts.

Examples described herein include systems and methods for bare metalmanagement of devices. The system can include a management server thatstores one or more boot agents for use by devices in configuring andbooting an OS. Firmware of a computing device can be preconfigured tocontact a network address, such as a uniform resource locator (“URL”)upon boot. The URL can be an address for the management server. When themanagement server receives a request from the computing device, themanagement server can determine a boot agent and pre-OS boot environmentto send to the computing device.

The boot agent can insert itself in an extensible firmware interface(“EFI”) partition as the first entry in a boot order, before a primaryOS boot manager that can exist on the device. The EFI partition can be apartition on a primary data storage device (e.g., hard-disk drive orsolid-state drive) that is reserved for UEFI usage. The new boot ordercan cause the boot agent to execute first and control the boot process.The boot agent can be an EFI application that acts as a mini OS with apre-OS environment. In one example, the boot agent can disable theprimary OS boot manager and other boot paths. The pre-OS environment canbe downloaded by the boot agent or by the initial HTTP boot. Themanagement server can supply a pre-OS environment selected forcompatibility with the computing device, in one example.

After the boot agent is added to the EFI partition, it can download anOS configuration for the computing device. This can be a package of codeor other data that can be spliced into the primary OS. This can modifythe primary OS to include management functionality used to manage thedevice, for example, as part of an EMM system. This can complete theprovisioning of the computing device.

On reboot, the computing device can continue to use the boot agentfirst, before a primary OS boot manager, to ensure the OS configurationis compliant by checking with the management server. If the primary OSis not configured correctly, the boot agent can download the currentconfiguration and can apply it to the primary OS.

The boot agent can also ensure that a management agent of an EMM systemis running properly. A management server of an EMM system can utilize amanagement agent to control compliance at the computing device. Themanagement agent can be installed as part of configuring the primary OS,in an example. For example, the management agent can be downloaded aspart of the package.

To allow the boot agent to determine if the management agent functionsproperly, the management agent can report compliance checks to thefirmware. On reboot, the boot agent can check the firmware to determinewhether the compliance check was more recent than the last boot. If athreshold number of boots take place without a compliance check, theboot agent can initiate a recovery that can include installing themanagement agent as part of the primary OS.

Systems for bare metal device management can result in cost reduction,and can be utilized for computing devices with different hardwareconfigurations. As described herein, in one example, bare metal devicemanagement can be performed as a cloud service—providing increasedmanagement capabilities over computing devices.

FIG. 1 is an example method for bare metal device management. At stage110, the firmware of a computing device is configured to boot from anetwork location. This means that the computing device will attempt tocontact the network location as part of its boot sequence. The networkaddress can be specified in an UEFI or BIOS. Both types of firmware canperform similar functions and are the first code to run when the deviceis powered on. For the purposes of this disclosure, the terms BIOS,firmware, and UEFI can be used interchangeably. The fundamental purposesof the firmware include initializing and testing hardware components onthe device and loading a primary OS. The firmware can perform bootservices, runtime services, initialize hardware in the computing device,load the OS, and hand off the hardware components to the primary OS.

UEFI can include a WIFI stack and HTTP boot functionality. Before theprimary OS loads, this can give UEFI limited functionality allowingconnection to the Internet. HTTP boot can combine Dynamic HostConfiguration Protocol (“DHCP”), Domain Name System (“DNS”), and HTTP toprovide the capability for system deployment and configuration over anetwork. UEFI can have boot entries for one or more boot managers,including a primary OS boot manager responsible for loading the primaryOS. The primary OS boot manager can be a UEFI application that runswhile the UEFI boot services are available. Once the boot sequence iscomplete, boot services are exited. The primary OS typically is limitedto accessing UEFI runtime services, such as shutdown and system time.

To configure the computing device to contact the network location aspart of the boot sequence, an entry can be added to a UEFI table tocontact the network location. The network location can be a URL. Theboot sequence can be maintained in firmware, such as in non-volatilerandom-access memory (“NVRAM”). In one example, the firmware caninitially be configured by the OEM of the computing device. For example,all computing devices being purchased by an enterprise or managed by anEMM can be preconfigured in firmware to contact the network location.

In one example, the boot order can also be changed to ensure that thenetwork location is contacted prior to the primary OS boot managerexecuting. This can include updating the NVRAM so that an HTTP bootoccurs using the network location prior to executing the primary bootmanager.

At stage 120, the computing device contacts the network location. Thiscan include requesting a boot agent. In one example, the networklocation can be a URL associated with a management server. Themanagement server can receive the request and determine which boot agentto send to the computing device. The boot agent can be determined basedon a primary OS or device identifier in one example.

The boot agent can include a pre-OS environment. The pre-OS environmentcan be based on WINDOWS or LINUX to provide a richer environment toperform activities like initial device provisioning, recovery, anddecommissioning. The boot agent can act as a mini boot loader todetermine what to boot next and which aspects of the pre-OS environmentto execute based on the state of the computing device. In one example,the correct pre-OS environment can be selected from multiple differentversions by the management server.

At stage 130, the computing device can install the boot agent to asystem partition, such as the EFI partition. The boot agent or pre-OSenvironment can also update the firmware to execute the installed bootagent before the primary OS boot manager. For example, the boot agentcan be configured as the first boot entry in a UEFI boot table. Theinstalled boot agent can be the first entry. In an example, contactingthe network location can be the second boot entry. Additionally, UEFIcan be locked down to prevent other boot paths from taking precedenceover those of the boot agent.

One role of the boot agent can be to initiate execution of the pre-OSenvironment. The pre-OS environment can be stored in random accessmemory (“RAM”) of the computing device, in one example. Alternatively,it can be stored in primary device storage, such as a hard-disk drive ora solid-state drive. The purpose of the pre-OS environment can be toprovide a richer platform OS configuration than is otherwise availablein firmware (such as UEFI). This can effectively allow the boot agent toinitiate functionality beyond what is available in the installed bootagent itself. The pre-OS environment can contain more lines of code thanare available in firmware. It can also include platform functionalitynot available in firmware, such as support for an NTFS file system forprovisioning WINDOWS. In an alternate example, a computing device withlarge firmware capability can store the pre-OS environment in firmware.

At stage 140, the computing device can apply an OS configuration to theprimary OS. The OS configuration can be specified by the managementserver. For example, the pre-OS environment or boot agent can contactthe management server to authenticate the user of the computing device.The user can be the actual user or a system user. In one example, theuser is prompted to login before the OS starts up, and this logininformation is used by the boot agent in communicating with themanagement server to configure the OS. In another example, the bootagent includes a system password that is supplied to the managementserver. This can allow the management server to authenticate the devicewithout prompting from the user for first-time provisioning.

Based on the user or a device identifier, the management server canretrieve an OS configuration or identify an OS configuration forretrieval from another network address. The OS configuration can includea package of drivers, OS code changes or additions, and applications.The management server can specify the package for download by includingit in the OS configuration or including a network address for the bootagent to contact. In one example, the management server supplies the OSconfiguration as part of the pre-OS environment. In another example, theOS configuration is downloaded separately during execution of the pre-OSenvironment by the boot agent.

The OS configuration can include or identify packages of device driversand applications for use at the computing device. These packages can bestatically included with the OS configuration or, alternatively,dynamically injected, such as by contacting one or more configurationservers associated with various hardware components on the computingdevice. To download individual drivers, hardware identifiers can besupplied by the boot agent to one or more configuration servers, whichidentify the appropriate drivers. The boot agent can then download theappropriate drivers from the configuration servers.

The boot agent can use the pre-OS environment to apply the OSconfiguration to the primary OS. This can include injecting the packageat one or more locations of the primary OS. In one example, the primaryOS is permanently modified. In another example, the code injectionoccurs each time the primary OS boots without permanently modifying thestored version of the primary OS on the computing device.

The OS configuration can also include a management agent used in an EMMsystem. The management agent can be part of the primary OS or anapplication executed by the primary OS. The management agent can contactthe management server during operation of the computing device, afterboot is complete. The management agent can supply device information tothe management server for use in determining if the device complies withEMM compliance rules. The management agent can lock certain devicefunctionality to ensure security, for example, when the computing deviceis accessing enterprise data. The management agent can allow themanagement server to perform tasks such as installing managedapplications or wiping enterprise data when the device is noncompliant.As will be described later, the management agent can operate differentlydepending on profiles defined at the management server for managing adevice.

At stage 150, the primary OS loads. In one example, after the boot agentcompletes its execution, the primary OS boot manager executes and loadsthe primary OS, including the configuration applied by the pre-OSenvironment. This can end the boot sequence. From there, the computingdevice can operate according to the configuration applied to the primaryOS, including management agent functionality.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary method for subsequent boots. At stage 210, thecomputing device begins a subsequent boot operation. Based on the stagesof FIG. 1 , the boot agent is already installed in the system partition.In one example, the boot agent executes the pre-OS environment toperform one or more functions. For the purposes of this disclosure, theboot agent functions include those executed by the pre-OS environment.

At stage 220, the boot agent can check a decommission flag in thefirmware to determine whether the device should be decommissioned priorto loading the primary OS with configurations. The decommission flag canbe set by the management agent. For example, if the management agentdetermines that the computing device is noncompliant, it can set thedecommission flag. The decommissioning can also be initiated by anadministrator of the EMM system. As an example, if an employee leavesthe organization or their device is lost or stolen, the administratorcan use a console application of the management server to select thecomputing device for decommissioning. Then, when the management agent orboot agent contacts the management server, the management server cansend a message that causes the management agent or boot agent to set thedecommission flag.

In one example, after the management agent receives the decommissioninstruction from the management server and sets the decommission flag,it initiates reboot. During the reboot, the boot agent determines thedecommission flag is set. In response, the boot agent can load thepre-OS environment and can perform a secure wipe of the primary devicestorage. The boot agent (itself or through the pre-OS environment) canreset the UEFI to default settings, including resetting the boot order.As a result, a non-configured version of the primary OS can be booted bythe primary OS boot manager. The boot agent can delete itself from thesystem partition and can delete the pre-OS environment, in an example.As a result, the computing device can then boot in a default statewithout access to enterprise data.

At stage 230, the boot agent can determine whether the management agentis performing compliance checks. As will be described below, themanagement agent can update a variable in firmware to store the lasttime a compliance check occurred. The boot agent can compare that timeof last compliance check against a different NVRAM variable that storesthe last boot time. If the last boot time is more recent than the lastcompliance check, this can indicate that the management agent did notverify compliance with the management server during the last operationof the computing device. The boot agent can update the firmware to trackhow many boots have gone by since the last compliance check. If athreshold number is exceeded, then the boot agent can initiate arecovery sequence. This can include downloading the pre-OS environmentand OS configuration from the management server or cloud.

At stage 240, the boot agent can perform OS attestation by checking withthe management server to determine that the primary OS has the correctconfiguration. This can include contacting the management server toensure the correct OS configuration is applied. In one example, themanagement server can have a configuration identifier that the bootagent compares against a firmware variable reflecting the same. Inanother example, a configuration date is compared against a date of thecurrent configuration. The boot agent can ensure the computing devicedoes not boot unless it has the correct OS configuration. As discussedbelow, the computing device can check device health (compliance) anddecommissioning, and can perform recovery as needed.

The management server can specify new configurations from time to time,such as when software, driver, or OS updates occur. If the computingdevice does not have the correct OS configuration, then at stage 250 theboot agent (including pre-OS environment) can download the new OSconfiguration and can apply it to the primary OS before loading theprimary OS. In one example, the boot agent can download the new OSconfiguration at stage 250 any time the management server updates theconfiguration for the computing device.

If the boot agent can attest that the computing device has the correctOS configuration, is in good health (compliance), and is not set to bedecommissioned, the boot agent can load the primary OS.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary sequence diagram. At stage 310, the computingdevice boots from a network address. The computing device can beconfigured to perform an HTTP boot in one example. For example, theNVRAM portion of firmware can be preconfigured to contact a URL or othernetwork location. The URL can correspond to the management server. Themanagement server can be one or more servers including one or moreprocessors. In one example, a first server manages OS configurations andboot agents and a second server manages compliance and management agentfunction calls.

The management server can receive contact from the computing device andcan determine which boot agent and pre-OS environment to supply. Thefirmware can be configured with part of the boot agent that negotiatesthis exchange with the management server. The computing device cansupply ownership or device information to the management server. Themanagement server can then supply an expanded boot agent at stage 315.In some examples, the expanded boot agent can include the pre-OSenvironment.

At stage 320, the computing device can configure the boot agent receivedfrom the management server to boot before a primary OS manager. In oneexample, this can include updating a UEFI table in firmware to list theboot agent as the first entry. The HTTP boot can be listed as a secondentry in one example, in case the boot agent fails to boot.Additionally, other boot paths can be locked or removed such that theprimary boot manager does not cause the computing device to boot intothe primary OS before the configuration is verified or applied.

At stage 325, the computing device can request an OS configuration fromthe management server. The request can be sent to the same server as instage 310 or to a different server. In one example, the managementserver can forward the request to a configuration server.

Either a device identifier or ownership identifier provided from thecomputing device can be used to determine which OS configuration toretrieve. The identifier can be preconfigured in firmware, such as by anOEM, in an example. Alternatively, it can be downloaded as part of theboot agent at stage 315.

At stage 330, the management server or configuration server can supplythe OS configuration. The OS configuration can include at least onepackage to apply to the primary OS. A package can include drivers, coderelated to the management agent, and managed applications. In oneexample, stage 330 is performed as part of stage 315. For example, theOS configuration can be supplied as part of a pre-OS environment.

At stage 335, the computing device can apply the OS configuration to theprimary OS. In one example, the package can be injected into the primaryOS. The code in the package can supplement or replace the defaultprimary OS code. In another example, the OS configuration can specifyvarious URLs or other network locations for the computing device todownload packages, such as particular drivers or applications. Thesedownloaded packages can be added to the primary OS.

Once the primary OS is configured, at stage 340 the computing device canboot the primary OS. The boot agent can also store the last boot time infirmware at stage 342. This can include recording the current time anddate in an NVRAM variable.

The primary OS, as configured by the management server, can include amanagement agent that communicates with the management server. At stage345 the management agent can perform a compliance check of the computingdevice. This can include contacting the management server and supplyingdevice information to compare against compliance rules or receiving thecompliance rules to apply to device information. The compliance rulescan be specific to the computing device or to a group, such anorganizational group, to which the computing device is associated.

The compliance rules can include blacklisted processes or applicationsthat cannot execute while other managed processes operate or cannotexecute on the device at all. Other compliance rule examples includewhether the OS is modified (rooted or jailbroken), whether themanagement agent is removed or modified, whether a profile used by themanagement agent is missing, and whether disallowed application settingsare enabled. Other compliance violations can include invalid usercredentials, an expired certificate, credentials that do not meetsecurity requirements, geofence violations, or the use of unsecurecommunication channels for a service requiring secure communication. Theexamples herein also apply to any other additional compliance rules notspecifically enumerated.

The EMM provider can use the management agent by making API calls to theOS or by causing a messaging server to do so. As an example, GOOGLE canprovide enterprise support services through its ANDRIOD operating system(the services sometimes referred to as ANDRIOD FOR WORK). In oneexample, the management agent can be modified by the OS configuration ora profile can be added as part of the OS configuration.

The management agent can read the profile to block the computing devicefrom functionality that is unauthorized by the management server, in oneexample. The profile for a first computing device can be different thanprofiles of other enrolled computing devices. The profile can includedrivers, software, or OS packages for installation. The configurationspecified for a user device can be based on one or more of the ownershipof the computing device, device characteristics such as primary OS andinstalled hardware, or organizational group of the computing device.

When the device is noncompliant, the management agent can take variousactions. The action can depend on the compliance violation and can bespecified as part of the compliance rules. In one example, themanagement agent stores a value in firmware indicating the device isnoncompliant. The boot agent can recognize the value on a subsequentboot at stage 350 and download a new OS configuration to make the devicecompliant.

In one example, the management server can decommission the computingdevice at stage 355. The management server can do this based onnoncompliance in one example. Alternatively, an administrator can use aconsole to select the computing device for decommissioning. This can beuseful when an employee leaves an organization or when the computingdevice is lost or stolen. The management agent can set a decommissionflag in firmware so that the boot agent causes the device to wipeenterprise data or the primary storage and restore to a default state onsubsequent boot at stage 350.

On subsequent boot at stage 350, the boot agent can execute first andcheck for various firmware values as described in FIG. 2 . Once thechecks of FIG. 2 are complete, the computing device can boot the primaryOS at stage 360. This can include using the primary OS boot manager inone example.

FIGS. 4A-4C are example illustrations of system components at variousstages of booting the computing device. Each drawing illustratescontents of NVRAM 410, an EFI partition 420, and an OS partition 430.NVRAM 410 can store the boot order and various flags (i.e., variables)used during boot. The EFI partition 420 can be a portion of a primarystorage device, such as a hard drive or solid-state drive. It can storethe pre-OS environment and other executable code for use during boot,such as the boot agent and the primary OS boot manager. The OS partition430 can include the operating system itself, including the primary OSand any secondary OS. Each of FIGS. 4A-4C also includes a boot sequence440 to illustrate how the computing device will boot based on thecurrent states of the NVRAM 410, EFI partition 420, and OS partition430.

Turning to FIG. 4A, a default boot condition is presented. The NVRAM 410can include default UEFI information for booting the computing deviceinto a WINDOWS or LINUX OS, for example. The boot order used by UEFI canlist a primary OS boot manager as the top boot priority. In this defaultcondition, the boot sequence 440 includes UEFI that would cause theprimary OS boot manager to boot the primary OS.

Turning to FIG. 4B, the NVRAM 410 is configured to instead boot from anetwork location. This can include preconfiguring the NVRAM 410 tocontact a network location that supplies the boot agent. The boot ordercan reflect first reflect an HTTP boot of the boot agent at the networklocation. At this stage, the boot agent may not have been stored in theEFI partition 420. Instead, it is retrieved from the network location.Therefore, the boot sequence 440 can include using UEFI to perform anHTTP boot by contacting the network location to receive the boot agentand the pre-OS environment.

In FIG. 4C, the boot order can be changed in the NVRAM 410 based on theboot agent downloaded from the network location. As shown, the bootagent can be stored in the EFI partition 420. It can also be first inthe boot order in NVRAM 410. This can cause the computing device to bootusing the boot agent stored locally on the computing device. If bootfails, then the computing device can attempt an HTTP boot to retrieve anupdated boot agent.

This can result in a boot sequence 440 of UEFI causing a hard-disk driveboot using the boot agent. After the boot agent has handled its variousOS configuration, compliance, and decommissioning determinations, theprimary OS boot manager can boot the primary OS. The primary OS boots aspreviously configured by the boot agent (including pre-OS environment).

FIG. 5A is an exemplary illustration of system components used in systemrecovery. The primary OS 510 can operate as part of normal device usage.The management agent can execute as part of the primary OS 510 based onconfigurations previously applied by the pre-OS environment and bootagent. The management agent can check compliance with the managementserver. If the compliance check is successful, the management agent canstore the check-in time in NVRAM 520. The check-in time can include adate and time. It can be a datetime value in one example. In thisexample, the check-in time can be stored in a variable calledAWLastCheckInTime 522.

On a subsequent boot, UEFI 530 can cause the boot agent to execute. Theboot agent can retrieve the check-in time from the AWLastCheckInTimevariable 422 in NVRAM 520. The boot agent can also retrieve the lastboot time, which can reflect a date and time that the computing devicelast booted. By comparing the check-in time to the last boot time, theboot agent can determine whether a compliance check was completed duringlast operation.

In one example, the last boot time is stored in NVRAM 520 in theAWLastBootTime variable 524. The management agent can store this valueupon execution immediately following a successful boot. Alternatively,the boot agent stores this value upon successful execution prior tocompleting loading of the primary OS. The boot agent can store the lastboot time at the end of its boot operations to ensure the boot wassuccessful before indicating a last boot time.

In one example, the boot agent increments a counter 526 to reflect eachtime the computing device boots without a compliance check having beenperformed since the last boot time. The counter can be incremented atthe end of the boot operations performed by the boot agent to avoidfalse counts for unsuccessful boots.

If the counter increments above a threshold value, then the boot agentcan initiate a recovery sequence. The recovery sequence can include anHTTP boot that causes the boot agent and pre-OS environment to bedownloaded to the computing device. In another example, the boot agentattempts to retrieve a new OS configuration from the management serverfor application to the primary OS prior to loading the primary OS.

FIG. 5B is an example flowchart for determining whether to initiaterecovery. At stage 540, the boot agent begins its determination ofwhether recovery is needed, prior to loading the primary OS. This canoccur on a subsequent boot after the boot agent is installed andchecking various flags set by the boot agent and management agent.

At stage 545, the boot agent reads the check-in time, last boot time,and counter described for FIG. 5A. These variables can all be stored andread from NVRAM 520. At stage 550, if the last boot time is prior tothan the last check-in time, this indicates the computing device issuccessfully compliance checking. If instead the last boot time isgreater than the last check-in time, this indicates that the computingdevice did not complete a compliance check after booting previously. Ifthe compliance check did not occur, the boot agent can cause the deviceto take particular actions. In one example, the boot agent can check theOS configuration at the management server to verify the computing deviceis up to date.

Alternatively, the action taken can depend on a counter that indicateshow many times in a row the computing device has booted without acompliance check. The counter can be reset at stage 555 when thecheck-in time indicates the device has successfully compliance checkedsince last boot. In that instance, the boot agent can set the counter inthe firmware back to zero at stage 555.

In another example, the boot agent will continue to boot normally unlessthe counter indicates multiple boots in a row without a successfulcompliance check. To track the number of boots since the last compliancecheck, at stage 565 the boot agent can increment the counter. Each timethe boot agent detects the computing device did not complete acompliance check since last boot, the counter can be incremented. Again,once a successful compliance check is indicated by the check-in versuslast boot comparison, the counter is reset at stage 555.

At stage 570, the boot agent can compare the counter against a thresholdto determine if too many boots have occurred without a compliance check.If not, then at stage 560 the boot agent or primary OS boot manager canload the primary OS. This can allow the computing device to start up. Atthat time or once the computing device has gained an Internetconnection, the management agent can attempt a compliance check bycontacting the management server.

Alternatively, if the counter has exceeded the threshold, then the bootagent can initiate a recovery sequence at stage 575. To initiaterecovery, the installed boot agent can contact the network address anddownload a pre-OS environment and OS configuration. The pre-OSenvironment and OS configuration can be the latest available for thecomputing device. Alternatively, it can be a special pre-OS environmentand OS configuration intended specifically for recovery situations. Forexample, it can include a managed safe mode with fewer drivers and lesssoftware activated than normal. Then, if compliance is successful, onthe subsequent boot the boot agent can request and receive a pre-OSenvironment and OS configuration for normal managed operation. If theboot agent fails to contact the network address or is not able toperform the recovery sequence, then the computing device can perform anHTTP boot and receive a new boot agent. The boot agent can continuerecovery from the cloud.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary diagram of system components. As shown, multiplecomputing devices 610 can connect to a management server 630 as part ofthe bare metal device management. The computing device 610 can connectto the management server 630 over a network 620, such as the internet.

The computing device 610 can be any processor-enabled device, such as alaptop, tablet, cell phone, or personal computer. The computing device610 can include firmware for initiating a boot sequence of an OS. Thefirmware can run UEFI in one example. The UEFI can include a boot orderthat prioritizes an HTTP boot to a network location affiliated with themanagement server 630. However, this disclosure also applies to non-UEFIexamples.

The management server 630 can be one or more servers having one or moreprocessors. In one example, multiple servers of the management server630 are affiliated with different network locations for handlingdifferent types or models of computing devices. In one example, themanagement server 630 can store one or more boot agents to supply to thecomputing devices 610. The boot agents can execute pre-OS environmentsthat also are downloaded from the management server 630. The pre-OSenvironment can include various executables for applying OSconfigurations to a primary OS of the computing devices 610.

The management server can supply different pre-OS environments to thecomputing devices 610 based on the primary OS available on eachcomputing device 610. In one example, the request from the computingdevice 610 to the network location indicates the OS type. Alternatively,the management server 630 can keep a table of device identifiers thatcorrelate to a known primary OS on the computing device 610. Themanagement server 630 can receive initial data regarding hardware andsoftware builds for the computing devices 610 from an OEM in oneexample. In another example, as hardware and even OS versions areupdated on the computing devices 610, the management agent can reportthe changes to the management server, which can update its recordsaccordingly.

In one example, one or more configuration servers 640 supply packagescontaining drivers 642 and software 644 implicated by the OSconfiguration. A configuration server 640 can be part of the managementserver 630. A configuration server can also be separate from amanagement server 630 and maintained by a third party, such as amanufacturer of a hardware component within the computing device 610 orof the computing device 610 itself. The OS configuration can indicatevarious URLs or other address for software 644 and drivers 622 neededfor the computing device 610. In one example, the boot agent contactsthe configuration servers 640 at URLs indicated in the OS configuration,downloads the packages, and applies them to the primary OS as specifiedby the OS configuration received from the management server 630.Alternatively, the management server 630 can contact the configurationservers 640 and supply the packages as part of the OS configuration tothe computing device 610.

Other examples of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from consideration of the specification and practice of theexamples disclosed herein. Though some of the described methods havebeen presented as a series of steps, it should be appreciated that oneor more steps can occur simultaneously, in an overlapping fashion, or ina different order. The order of steps presented is only illustrative ofthe possibilities and those steps can be executed or performed in anysuitable fashion. Moreover, the various features of the examplesdescribed here are not mutually exclusive. Rather any feature of anyexample described here can be incorporated into any other suitableexample. It is intended that the specification and examples beconsidered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of thedisclosure being indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for bare metal device management,comprising: configuring, by a computing device, a boot agent to executebefore a primary operating system (“OS”) boot manager during boot of thecomputing device, wherein the computing device has at least one physicalprocessor; applying, by the computing device, an OS configuration to theprimary OS, the OS configuration being specified by a management server;and when at least one boot has occurred since the computing deviceperformed a compliance check with the management server, downloading anew boot agent and booting the primary OS on the computing device usingthe new boot agent; incrementing a counter in firmware of the computingdevice to indicate a number of boots that have occurred since thecompliance check; and resetting the counter after the compliance check.2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing a first date of apreceding successful boot in firmware of the computing device; comparingthe first date to a second date that indicates a prior compliance check;and in response to the comparison, downloading the new boot agent whenthe first date is greater than the second date.
 3. The method of claim1, further comprising: retrieving, from firmware of the computingdevice, a network location; before permitting the primary OS to boot,contacting the network location and receiving the boot agent; andadding, by the computing device, the boot agent to a system partition ofthe computing device.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:during booting from the new boot agent, confirming that the primary OShas the OS configuration specified by the management server.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: saving a last boot time to thefirmware; in an instance in which the last boot time is more recent thana last compliance check from a management server, incrementing acounter; and in an instance in which the counter exceeds a threshold,downloading the new instance of the boot agent.
 6. The method of claim5, further comprising: in an instance in which the counter is less thana threshold, booting the primary OS as currently configured.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a decommissioningmessage from the management server; storing a flag in the firmware; andupon detecting the flag during a subsequent boot, loading a pre-OS bootenvironment without the boot agent for performing a default bootsequence.
 8. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprisinginstructions that, when executed by a processor, perform stages for baremetal device management, the stages comprising: configuring, by acomputing device, a boot agent to execute before a primary operatingsystem (“OS”) boot manager during boot of the computing device, whereinthe computing device has at least one physical processor; applying, bythe computing device, an OS configuration to the primary OS, the OSconfiguration being specified by a management server; and when at leastone boot has occurred since the computing device performed a compliancecheck with the management server, downloading a new boot agent andbooting the primary OS on the computing device using the new boot agent;receiving a decommissioning message from the management server; storinga flag in the firmware; and upon detecting the flag during a subsequentboot, loading a pre-OS boot environment without the boot agent forperforming a default boot sequence.
 9. The non-transitory,computer-readable medium of claim 8, the stages further comprising:incrementing a counter in firmware of the computing device to indicate anumber of boots that have occurred since the compliance check; andresetting the counter after the compliance check.
 10. Thenon-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, the stages furthercomprising: storing a first date of a preceding successful boot infirmware of the computing device; comparing the first date to a seconddate that indicates a prior compliance check; and downloading the newboot agent when the first date is greater than the second date.
 11. Thenon-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, the stages furthercomprising: retrieving, from firmware of the computing device, a networklocation; before permitting the primary OS to boot, contacting thenetwork location and receiving the boot agent; and adding, by thecomputing device, the boot agent to a system partition of the computingdevice.
 12. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, thestages further comprising: during booting from the new boot agent,confirming that the primary OS has the OS configuration specified by themanagement server.
 13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium ofclaim 8, the stages further comprising: saving a last boot time to thefirmware; in an instance in which the last boot time is more recent thana last compliance check from a management server, incrementing acounter; and in an instance in which the counter exceeds a threshold,downloading the new instance of the boot agent.
 14. The non-transitory,computer-readable medium of claim 13, the stages further comprising: inan instance in which the counter is less than a threshold, booting theprimary OS as currently configured.
 15. A computing device that performsbare metal device management, comprising: a physical memory storageincluding a non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprisinginstructions; and a processor that executes the instructions to carryout stages comprising: configuring a boot agent to execute before aprimary operating system (“OS”) boot manager during boot of thecomputing device; applying an OS configuration to the primary OS, the OSconfiguration being specified by a management server; when at least oneboot has occurred since the computing device performed a compliancecheck with the management server, downloading a new boot agent andbooting the primary OS on the computing device using the new boot agent;incrementing a counter in firmware of the computing device to indicate anumber of boots that have occurred since the compliance check; andresetting the counter after the compliance check.
 16. The computingdevice of claim 15, the stages further comprising: storing a first dateof a preceding successful boot in firmware of the computing device;comparing the first date to a second date that indicates a priorcompliance check; and downloading the new boot agent when the first dateis greater than the second date.
 17. The computing device of claim 15,the stages further comprising: retrieving, from firmware of thecomputing device, a network location; before permitting the primary OSto boot, contacting the network location and receiving the boot agent;and adding, by the computing device, the boot agent to a systempartition of the computing device.